re. Re: putting a auto trans in a '91 20VTQA

[Brett Dikeman]

On Jan 26, 2006, at 9:58 AM, Ben Swann wrote:

> Yes- this is the solution! If you can find an automatic Type 44  
> wagon, this would be more straightforward than the tranny swap.   
> You will get plenty of power out of a chipped and tuned MC-1 for  
> this application.
>
> I tend to agree with aforementioned Volvo option too, but gotta  
> admit, these cars sound and drive  way cheap compared to even the  
> 10 year older type44 - I know, as my sister has had 3 relatively  
> new Volvos ( '98 - 2003) and eveytime I ride with her I am forced  
> to hold my tongue on how cheap the thing feels - at least compared  
> to the T44 Audis.

Funny.  The interior quality in my folk's '95 960 wagon is Tonka-toy,  
but at the same time, it looks as good as it did the day they bought  
it; it's durable, which is what Volvo is all about.  Only one bulb in  
the entire interior of the car has ever blown (shifter selector.) The  
windows and sunroof still open at the same speed they did in 1994.   
The locks are still as easy to operate and have never broken a linkage.

   The leather isn't durable though...it's that "thin and soft" style  
leather, instead of the "thick and durable" stuff in my 200q20v.  The  
paint/bodywork is -very- tough, with the exception of the covered  
bumpers.  Not a single spot of rust on the car.

Under the hood after more than ten years and 120,000 miles, the only  
failures of note are 1 battery, 1 rack (under warranty- started  
acting all goofy) and the dipstick tube once popped out and gave my  
folks a free underbody rust treatment; their mechanic (who does  
everything from P1800's to T5/6's) said it was a first.

It pulls away from a stop with amazing guts and the I-6 sounds pretty  
nice.  Handles like a dream (RWD) aside from its weight, the  
headlights are FANTASTIC, the stereo is superb, the seats are  
incredibly comfortable, and you can fit grand central station in it  
with the rear seats folded down.  Noise levels are way below the  
200q20v in any driving conditions.  The ride is slightly wallowy in  
turns, taut on big bumps...but is smooth, and 90 on the highway feels  
fantastic.  Oh, and if you hit anything at 90, you'll actually have a  
shot at surviving.

It's a car I could drive for hours; the 200q20v I can't manage more  
than about 4 continuous before I've got to take a break.  On  
virtually every front except drivetrain (ie, power/AWD/manual- manual  
was available though) and interior "sense of luxury", it's an  
infinitely superior car to my 200q20v.

Brett